Sledding banned by Waynesboro Council at Memorial Park

The council unanimously voted at Wednesday night's meeting to temporarily ban sledding at Memorial Park until its first meeting in February, citing safety concerns.

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By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Posted Jan. 3, 2013 at 11:45 AM

By Colleen Seidel/The Record Herald

Posted Jan. 3, 2013 at 11:45 AM

What people are saying on Facebook

The Record Herald received an overwhelming response from readers on Facebook about Waynesboro Borough Council temporarily banning sledding at Memorial Park. Here's what some people had to say:...

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What people are saying on Facebook

The Record Herald received an overwhelming response from readers on Facebook about Waynesboro Borough Council temporarily banning sledding at Memorial Park. Here's what some people had to say:

"Great idea. Take away one of the safest places in town, and a controllable environment, so the kids will go sledding where it isn't safe — like out their driveway or down a street. Brilliant."

-Carl Maurer

"I don't know if any of you remember an unfortunate sledding accident about seven years ago. It may not have been at Memorial Park but at Hooverville Elementary School. A girl died sledding in the wrong weather conditions. This is purely for safety reasons and the well being of Waynesboro citizens.

Put politics aside and understand this is a legitimate decision for the children's safety. Take the risk in your own yard."

-Lindsay Blake

Some of my best memories are sledding in that park as a kid!

-Julie Lurowist

"Always watched the kids sledding there years ago. Get real Waynesboro council! Weren't you a kid at one time?"

-Linda Hilbert

"I think the point most of the people are trying to make here, is that it should be up to the parents to determine if it is safe for their children to sled, not Waynesboro council. I grew up a block from Memorial Park. When it snowed the first thing we did was grease up the runners and hit the hill. Now, that being said, there was one incident that led to part of the fence for the Pony League field being removed during the winter. After that we all looked out for each other, some of the parents stood watch to make sure we were okay. It's not up to Waynesboro council to protect your children. It's up to you as a parent to make sure your kids are okay and have a great time. Some of my fondest memories of growing up in Waynesboro are sledding at Memorial Park. This is a parenting issue not a local government issue."

-Greg Maurer

WAYNESBORO — Citing safety concerns, Waynesboro Borough Council unanimously voted at Wednesday night's meeting to temporarily ban sledding at Memorial Park until its first meeting in February.
The concerns about the safety of the winter activity at the park — which Councilman Wayne Driscoll acknowledged is “a long tradition” — surround the construction of a new fence around the baseball field, according to Borough Manager Lloyd Hamberger.
Old vs. new
“The old fence had an area you could take down and provide a gap for folks to sled through,” Hamburger explained.
The new fence is one whole piece and cannot be taken down, and sled riders have been running into it, Hamberger said. The fence sits at the bottom of the hill popular for sledding.
“Every year we took the fence down and put it back up (after winter) and it was in worse shape,” he said, adding that the fence had become unsafe for the baseball players who use the field in warmer months.
The borough replaced the fence as part of a $90,000 improvement project at the park last year.
“I hate to do this but obviously baseball is the intended use of the park and sledding is a casual byproduct of winter,” Driscoll said.
Because of the new fence in place, “now it's a health risk and a risk to the property,” he added.
Safety
Councilman Mike Cermak said the bottom line is the safety of the sled riders.
“After many years of enjoyable sledding, I reluctantly agree (to the ban),” he said. “You don't want kids hurt.”
Councilman Craig Newcomer brought up the death of Amanda K. Bowders as the worst possible scenario for a sledding accident. Bowders died in 2007 at the age of 22 after her sled hit a pole behind Hooverville Elementary School.
The council members also discussed safety hazards of sledding in the area of Northside Pool but decided to limit the ban to Memorial Park only.
Hamberger said borough staff will consider options regarding the situation and will address the issue again with council at the Feb. 6 meeting.